1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to document scanning in a network environment. More particularly, the invention relates to a simplified method and system for merging scan files into a color workflow wherein the scan files are merged with document files on a page basis and job properties applied to the resulting merged document.
2. Description of Prior Art
In print shop environments, it is often necessary to combine electronic images created by scanning hard copy documents with an existing document file to produce a new document consisting of the images interspersed with the pages of the previous document in a desired order. For example, in the production of an illustrated calendar, photographs may be scanned to produce the calendar illustrations. The scans are then interleaved with the calendar pages, which may have been produced in a page layout program or a word processor. Subsequently, additional layout may be specified such as imposition or single-sided vs. duplex printing. Additional job options are specified, such as resolution, color profile and print profile and the document is output to a color printer. Thus, the production of such a document is a highly repetitious and time-consuming operation, and it requires a complex, multi-step workflow. Since print shops are production-type environments, there is an ongoing interest in increasing efficiency without sacrificing quality.
Various hardware components for accelerating the printing process are reported in the art. For example, T. Willems, and F. Tunissen, Raster Image Processor, U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,768 (Jan. 2, 1990) and T. Willems, and F. Tunissen, Front-end System, European Patent Application No. 0218287 (Sep. 27, 1985) both disclose hardware configurations that utitlize a raster image bus to accelerate the processing of information so that a higher throughput is provided to the print device. J. Menendez, W. Caterisano, and J. Ball, High Speed Image Processor Particularly Suited for Use in an Image Management System, U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,494 (May 12, 1992) also describe an improved raster image processor capable of providing output to a printing device at higher speeds than previously possible. The improvement is achieved by performing various image processing operations in parallel that had previously been performed serially. The disclosed devices do enable higher throughput of data to a printing device, but they don't address the problem of simplifying and accelerating complicated printing workflows, or of automating repetitive operations.
W. Neale, A new generation of COM recorder brings new applications and opportunities, International Journal of Micrographics and Optical Technology, v.14:5 (1996) discloses methods for transferring scanned bitmap images and merged documents to microfilm. The disclosed methods do not address the need in the art for accelerating the workflow by providing simple intuitive methods of merging document files and specifying job options.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for merging document files of various formats into a single workflow. It would be a further advantage to provide a means of merging scan files with document files on a page basis so that a new, merged document results. It would be desirable to provide a graphical user interface that allowed a user to produce such merged documents in a simple, intuitive manner. It would be advantageous to provide a simple way of specifying merging instructions and other job options in the form of merge templates that can be created, saved and reused for future jobs.
It would be highly advantageous to implement such methods in a network scanning environment that allowed a user to specify multiple destinations and formats for a scan file. The capability of applying image modifications to scan files prior to merging would be highly desirable. Finally, a software application that allowed a scanner and a print device together to function as a copying machine would be desirable.